Character Analysis Essay

1. Character Analysis Essay Of Mice and Men

2. Type of Characters • Dynamic- a character which changes during the course of the story or novel. The change in outlook or character is usually a permanent change. • Static- a character that remains the same throughout the story or novel, and events in a story do not change the character’s outlook, personality, or perception.

3. Type of Characters • Flat- only a couple personality traits are introduced about the character and doesn’t experience any change in personality • Round- a well developed character and usually shows some confliction throughout the story (often a dynamic character as well)

4. Types of Characters • Confidante- usually the character that the main character confides in—this doesn’t actually have to be a real person • Stock- a special kind of flat character who easily recognizable to the reader as stereotype or conventional

5. Types of Characters • Protagonist- central character in the story who is faced with a conflict that must be solved • Antagonist- the opposition to the central character in the story or novel; the conflict the protagonist has to overcome

6. What are they? • George • Protagonist • Dynamic • Round • Lennie • Protagonist • Static • Flat

7. What are they? • Candy • Static • Flat • Crooks • Static • Flat

8. What are they? • Curley • Antagonist • Stock • Curley’s Wife • Round • Slim • Confidante

9. Character Analysis Essay You will choose a character and construct an essay creating a claim about the personality traits or characterization of the character chosen. This will include three paragraphs with quotes and support in your own words explaining why the character traits represent the character chosen. This will be a five paragraph essay written in class!

10. Introduction • Use an appropriate attention getter or quote to begin and weave it into TAG. • TAG: Title, Author, Genre: (Of Mice and Men is a historical fiction/novella) • Provide a thesis statement that lists character traits and establishes a position and claim.

11. Body Paragraphs • Use clear topic sentences with a variety of sentence types. • Use strong transitions • Incorporate two sufficient quotations to support your claim and use correct quotes and page numbers. • Provide elaboration as to why the quotations support your claim. • Wrap up sentence transitioning into next paragraph

12. Quotations and Citations • When quoting or paraphrasing, one must include the page numbers from where it was referenced • Example: Slim is portrayed as the stereotypical wise and friendly farmhand, and he serves as a confidante for George throughout the novel. It is certainly made apparent at the very end of the novel when he says to George, “You hadda, Geoge… You hadda… Let’s go get a drink”(107). He understands that George is grieving over the loss and murder of his friend, and Slim offers to console George by removing him from the rest of farmhands who do not understand the relationship that Lennie and George shared. In the novella, Slim is the only farmhand that George shares his story with and feels comfortable confiding in, which demonstrates Slim’s role as a confidante.

13. Conclusion • Review character traits and claim • Tie back to introduction • Create a final sounding statement to close essay by using TAG